Resources@Jobsbridge

The essence of a healthy career is work that fulfills and rewards you. Such work is possible, however, only if and when you are employed at what you most like to do and do best. It must involve the development and expression of the inherent capability-the special skill-which all of us possess. I call it your Natural because it is an intrinsic part of your persona and the key to being the best you can be.

Unfortunately, many maybe even most of us don’t even know what our Natural is.

That’s why there has been so much focus, in recent years, on willingly helping people achieve a “work-life balance.” The term implies that work is a negative activity that has no personal value other than a paycheck which is almost always less than what we want or need. We must balance our day-to-day experience in the workplace with activities that occur someplace else and do have enduring value. Furthermore, sadly, surveys after survey confirms that balance is exactly what a growing number of Americans are struggling to achieve in their lives.

Why is this so? Why are so many American workers determined to spend less of their waking day at work?

• For some, of course, it is a reaction to the bullying of their employers. They have been asked to do too much and to work too long. They seek balance in their careers, so they can still have a life and enjoy their relationships with family and friends.
• For others, on the other hand, the push for balance is caused by what’s missing from their work. They are investing a third or more of their lives in their career, and that endeavor lacks any sense of purpose or meaning for them. They seek balance in their careers so their employment experience is both appropriately engaging and consistently satisfying.

For the first group, work-life balance is a benefit that employers provide at their option. It is controlled by employers and subject to fluctuations in their fortunes. This kind of balance is important to have, to be sure, but in the 21st Century workplace, it is fast becoming an anomaly.

• When times are good, the benefit is hard to get because employers eventually want to pull every penny of profit possible out of the strong market.
• When times are bad, the benefit is hard to get because employers are actively cutting costs to preserve every penny of profit possible in the weak market. The net effect is that employers talk incessantly about work-life balance-they even promise to provide it-but more often than not, the words aren’t balanced with action.

For the second group, in contrast, work-life balance is self-created. It is controlled by the individual and is largely unaffected by the fortunes of any employer. The individual seeks and accepts only those jobs where they can be their personal best. They transform their work from a negative to a positive experience by structuring their employment so that it has enduring value for them. In essence, they achieve balance by assigning their interests in the workplace as much priority as those of their employers. They do that by focusing their career on the progressive development and expression of their Natural.

This kind of work-life balance is much more resilient and far healthier for us. We are able to do what’s best for us, at work as well as in the rest of our lives. We get rid of the daily grind and, instead, commit ourselves to the daily greatness we are all capable of achieving. And, now, more than ever before, it is possible to create such an individually inspired work-life balance.

Why is that so? What makes today different from yesterday?

The labor market. Employers now find themselves engaged in a state of war for Talent. It’s not just a War for Any Talent, however; it’s a War for the Best Talent. There aren’t enough people who are skilled in critical fields or are superior performers or both to go around so employers are competing desperately to hire them.

This situation is your Emancipation Proclamation …only if you know how to realize your freedom.

The key to achieving a work-life balance that you control is being the best you can be at what you most like to do and do best. In essence, you must make a personal commitment to working at developing and expressing your natural talent-to performing at the top of your game every single day on-the-job. If you do that, you’ll not only find employment that fulfills and rewards you, but you’ll have your choice of employers that will balance their expectations with what’s best for you. That puts life in your work as well as work in your life.

After few years of the “do more with less” pattern in the Technology & many other Industry sectors, many tech workers are particularly aware of their value in an organization and hope to be compensated for the efforts.

Come 2011, Tech professionals cannow expect a trend reversal as just under half (45 percent) of management is open to giving them more wealth in 2011, according to a recent survey of 2,400 hiring managers.

What do managers expect to see from employees seeking a better salary?

Nearly half (47-48 percent) of employers want to see you be result driven and delivery oriented.

Approximately, 37-38% percent want you to “show an understanding of what is important to the company” and take leadership roles..

Over a quarter want you to “come prepared with your history of performance reviews”

So prepare yourself to show management tangible results and willingness  to lead from the front.

For those companies (remaining 55 percent of IT companies) that cannot afford pay raises, here is what they are willing to give to employees in lieu of loot:

More flexible work hours (42 percent)

Bonuses (29 percent)

Training (23 percent)

Vacation time (21 percent)

More casual dress codes (17 percent)

Academic reimbursement (14 percent)

Title change (14 percent)

During the negotiation be sure to maintain a positive and committed view towards your role in the company, contributions and goals forward. This will prevent the risk of their coming to the view that you are wasting their time or stringing them along. It’s important to be fair and right with people, even while negotiating.

While acknowledging the appeal of the opportunity, conduct your discussions professionally, firmly, confidently, and at the same time ask for their understanding that you have a responsibility to yourself and your family to achieve the best ‘price’ for what you can do in your particular job market.

After the recent economic turmoil, many technology workers are without jobs. For the same reason, they’re unable to find work in another position. Most companies are downsizing, not looking for new hires. Getting a job in this economy is a real challenge and, just like any challenge, it will take time and effort to get the best results.

Here are some steps to help you get on the path to employment.

Brush up your skills and prepare your Resume

Make sure your resume is up-to-date and relevant to the job you want. When outlining your technical skills and experience, use keywords related to the type of job for which you’re applying. You’ll usually find them in the job description. Hiring managers will often run a batch of resumes through a keyword search program that seeks out certain skills, so make sure that yours contains what they’re looking for. It’s also a good idea to tailor your resume and cover letter to each job when you apply. Refer to on-line job boards for resume writing tips, including proper cover letter

Focus on online jobs search….

Take advantage of technology advancements and start applying jobs online at the job boards.  If there are some particular companies that interest you, go directly to their websites and check for available positions at their careers & hiring section. There are plenty of opportunities that don’t get posted on the more popular job sites. Feel free to write o send application directly to the

It’s time to take a step back and leap forward….so start Networking

Use your professional network to drive you into the job market and seek out opportunities. Don’t be shy about letting people know that you’re unemployed and need a job, but do not sound desperate. You can also create a profile on professional networking websites like linkedin.com. It’s a great way to see and be seen in the job market and in your respective industry. Start attending professional networking forums like TIE (http://www.tie.org) and start meeting entrepreneurs and prospective employers.

This may be good time to get trained on newer technology & trend..

Between jobs may be the right time to get trained/educated in newer technologies and trends. If you’re financially stable, now may be a good time to go back to school to pick up some new skills and expand your appeal in the job market. Many colleges and community centers offer adult/continuing education in various fields of study. Maybe there’s something new that the Market is willing to offer, now is the time to get oriented and be prepared to take a career leap forward.

These are just a few helpful tips for those entering the job market. Create a schedule and goals for each day. Finding a job is hard work, especially in today’s competitive environment. Take care of yourself physically and emotionally, as a lengthy job-search can be stressful. A lot of people are out there, so do your best to communicate your value and be seen in the crowd..

Ring…rinnggg…rinnnggg…

The alarm is ringing. It’s 7:30 am and you have to get up and get ready for work on Monday morning. But you can barely drag yourself out of bed. You wish the weekend to last for another day so that you could keep your commitments at bay for little longer. You push the snooze button yet again as you cover yourself with your blanket.

Does the above experience sound familiar? If it does, you probably suffer from Monday morning blues. Almost everybody has had it. Mondays are annoying for many of us. We are reluctant to go to work and wish if we could have more time to relax.

Alas, Monday morning comes every week and there is no way of skipping it!

The key to beating Monday morning blues lies in organizing your work. We tend to accomplish lot more on our weekends than we can actually do — the result is we over-plan and underachieve. With proper organization of your work you can relax more, complete more task and spent more time with family and friends.

Here are few easy and effective ways to break your Monday Blues in a flash!

Prepare for your weekend

• Plan your weekend well ahead.  Be realistic and do not over plan.
• Prepare a to-do list for your weekend so that you don’t miss out on anything.
• To enjoy a stress free Sunday complete all your chores on Saturday and plan some entertainment and fun activities. Spend time with family and friends and spend some time on exercise.
• Fill your week with some fun activities so that end of weekend does not feel like end of world.

Sleep well to reduce stress

• Never compromise with your minimal daily requirements for healthy living: sufficient sleep, healthy food, and exercise.
• Adhere to your normal sleeping time. During weekend we go to bed late and wake up late. This out-of-rhythm sleep disrupts the internal clock of our body as we find it difficult to wake up on Monday morning.
• If you can, try taking little naps in between your work to keep yourself energized. However, try not to nap on Sunday afternoon or you will not be able to sleep early and prevent drowsiness on Monday afternoon.

Drain out the negative energy

• Exercise is probably the last thing that you would do on a Monday morning but  trust me it is actually a great way to start to start the week.  Exercise for half an hour in the morning will get your blood pumping, release the feel-good endorphins and expel the negative energies out of your body. Not only will this give your body a physical boost but also make your brain more alert and ready for work.
• Get out in the sunlight. Bright light refreshes your body and helps you reset your internal clock. Ensure that your work area is brightly illuminated and has lighter shades of color on the wall as these increases the brightness and makes the workplace look spacious.
• Wear clothes which makes you feel confidant, comfortable and happy. Dress to look best on Mondays.
• On top of all, change your attitude towards Mondays. Perceiving Mondays in a negative light will not help in anyway. Look at it as a great beginning to start a new week.

Ease out a bit

• After a couple of days off you may not feel like doing some complicated work on Monday morning. So, start with that kind of work which you enjoy to do. Loosen up a bit. Drink some coffee and catch up with friends to remind you that work isn’t so bad.
• Avoid negative interactions that may ruin your mood at the beginning of the workweek. Experiencing positive interactions will make you feel good about yourself and your work.
• A bad traffic can ruin the rest of the day.  Start from home early to beat the traffic and listen to good music during your drive to work to soothe yourself.

Because Monday mornings cannot be avoided, you should get used to it. Change you r attitude and start looking at the Mondays as a great start for another exciting week. If none of the above tips help you to beat the blues then consider a change in career. A more satisfying job can help you cope up with the Monday morning blues. A new job, new responsibilities, new people, new workplace may do the trick.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”
— Robert F. Kennedy

The present business scenario calls for leaders who can make quick decisions. In this fast paced era where everyone is competing hard to stay on top, any delay in decision making may lead to losing a prospect. Thus taking risk has become an integral part of business. Taking risks to make sound professional judgment demonstrates strong leadership abilities and implies that you have all it takes to handle more interesting, challenging work.

The word risk has hint of negativity to it — it implies a source of danger; a possibility of loss, damage or misfortune, as a result of which most people are afraid of taking risks as they are reluctant to afford any loss. However risk has a positive side too: the chance of hitting a big win. Although, there always lies a fear of failure yet possibilities of personal growth, increased confidence, and higher visibility are few of the outcomes. Being worried of taking risks is okay, however to completely refrain yourself from taking risk is a bad idea. If you take a close look at the career of the most successful people in the world, you will clearly find that they all are risk takers.

Not taking chances and playing it safe always may not be as safe as it seems. If you don’t risk it, you don’t get the chance of making it big. However, not all risks are worth taking. Some risks are just dumb and suicidal where as others are intelligent. Risks, where the expected payoff is negative, should never be taken. Hence the two types of risks are:

1. Calculated and planned risk – Intelligent Risk
2. Unprofessional and impractical risks – Dumb Risk

Often an intelligent risk brings new opportunities. If you find discomfort and hesitant in doing something beyond your comfort zone, congratulations! This means a new opportunity is around the corner. The key to take intelligent risk is to think way ahead. When you think in long-term, your find your failures’ being outnumbered by your successes and this keeps you from getting discouraged.

Through intelligent risks you can improve your performance and excel in your career. Here is how…

Find out the odds

Take a good look at your career and decide what you really want. Do you want to advance in your current organization? Do you want to move to another organization, either in a lateral move or to a more senior position? Or would you like a different type of role, such as running a business unit?

Find out where you stand in your career and what you have to lose or gain if you take risk. Carefully analyze the impact of the risk on your career. By taking a risk how will demonstrate your leadership skills or professional judgment? If you look at a risk as if your entire career depends on it then the nervousness will not let you proceed. However, if you approach it as a step to fulfill your career goal in the long run then you will not find it so risky.

Overcome fears

You can add value to your business by taking calculated intelligent risks that pays off. Being skeptical about risk is a natural phenomena but holding yourself back due to the fear of risk is not wise and will not let you propel in your career. Hence instead of fearing the risk concentrate on analyzing it.

Roll the dice

After much thinking and calculations you finally decide to leave your comfort zone. Now what? Just take the plunge. No risk is right or wrong in and of itself. The key lies in judging a situation, determining intelligent risks and taking them provide an evidence of strong leadership abilities and sound judgment. If for some reason, it doesn’t work out the way it should have been then learn from your misjudgment and try to be more reasonable next time.

Change is good

Taking intelligent risks involves accepting change and trusting the unknown. Thus, to be a good risk taker and eventually improve your performance you must readily adapt to the changing environment. In the contemporary world of business, success strategies changes regularly. If you are reluctant to embrace the change you may fall back in the race to stay on top. The idea is to take risk and accept change. Sticking to your old strategies may prove to be a hindrance in showcasing your talent.

Reap the benefits

Taking intelligent risks has direct impact on performance improvement. The ability to take risks demonstrates strong leadership qualities. If the risk taken turns out to be a successful endeavor then you would achieve your desired result without much difficulty.

Given below is the list of some of the risks which are not worth taking. Avoid making these as they could be suicidal to your career.

1. Sticking on to the job despite the fact that you hate it. Staying unhappy on a job lowers your productivity and hampers performance. Moreover, if you want to quit, leave on friendly terms. Screaming and complaining on your way out is not worth it.
2. Not doing your homework properly before taking the plunge. Without proper analysis a decision which looks lucrative and foolproof may turn out to be disaster. Don’t assume that you know it all you need to. There is no harm in recalculating your chances and confirming your decision.
3. Losing visibility. Stay in spotlight and keep yourself well informed of your company’s policies, procedures, stability, business strategies and business endeavors. Shrinking to the background will make you invisible may result in you not being credited for your efforts.
4. Avoiding challenges and added responsibilities. Seek out challenges and accept responsibilities. However, not all responsibilities are worth taking. Accept a responsibility only if you are sure that it will earn you recognition. Weigh your options before you opt for it.
5. Tampering the truth. If you are caught you will be fired. Be a straight shooter and keep your career safe.

When you read classified ad in newspaper about a job post, there could be three possible courses of action which you can take.

Action #1: You know you don’t qualify for the job and choose not to apply to it. So, you move on to the next job posting.

Action #2: Although you don’t qualify for the job yet you think you can do it but you don’t want to tell the employer about it. Hence you go on lying on your résumé to make it look like that you are aptly qualified for the job.

Action #3: You know you don’t qualify for the job yet you would like to give it a try as you are sure that you can learn the required skills and pick up the job very well. Hence you send them your résumé along with a cover letter mentioning that though you don’t qualify for the job yet you are willing to learn and acquire the required skills.

Needless to say, third action is the wisest of all — apply without endangering your reputation. Worst can happen that you may get rejected and the best can be the employer notices your potentials and hires you.

With the first action you may be missing a great opportunity. Second action will make you a liar and lying on your résumé is never a good idea. Moreover lying is like eating potato chips — you can’t stop with just one, e.g. if you get the job based on your false claims, you have to keep on hiding the truth from your employer, coworkers and clients on daily basis to cover up your initial prevarications.

According to a survey conducted by Monster, 50% people lie on their résumé. According to surveys conducted by other sites, most of the time jobseekers lie on their education. They put degrees which they did not finish, add fake degrees and mention college names which they did not attend. Apart from education, other common topics which the jobseekers lie about are:

• Dates – Stretching employment dates to cover up employment gaps
• Job titles – Enhancing job titles
• Responsibilities and achievements – Embellishing job duties and achievements
• Employer names – Inventing employers
• Compensation – Increasing remuneration
• Reason for leaving – Faking on this to cover up termination or layoff.

Sometimes jobseekers lie about their team size and mention that they had been heading that team, where as in reality they may have been a member of the team which was not as big as they claim.

Background Check

People assume that they can easily get away with their prevarication as the companies will not check it. However, with the increase in fraudulent activities, more and more companies are running background checks. During these checks and screenings, lies are discovered. Incongruities in employment dates, salary manipulation, job titles and duties and omission of negative records may get revealed during these checks.

If you think there is nothing wrong in fabricating about an employer who is not in business anymore then think again. Through various network and other sources people can easily find out about others.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Can you imagine the embarrassment when your beans are spilled in front of your boss? You have been lying all along to keep this job but they find out the truth and you are fired. Thus getting caught can cost you your job — even after being hired.

Picture this. Now after losing job you start job hunting once again. You decide this time you will be truthful through and through. But how will you put your last job in the résumé? Should you list it? Should you lie again? After a good thought you decide to list it. In the interview you are asked to state the reason for leaving the previous job…uh ho…there you go again. You are again in dilemma. If you say the truth you may lose the job opportunity. If you lie and get the job your employer may again find out and send you packing. End of job. End of story.

Hence lying once will make you fake again and eventually may ruin your career. It could be worse too. Employers can press charges against you for deceiving them.

Résumé Dupery is a Crime

Is lying on résumé a crime? Certainly, it is. It’s a felony.

Fabricating on your résumé is not only immoral, it could get you fired or even sued. Employers can terminate employment and reduce or deny all benefits as a punishment for lying. Lying about your credentials and intentionally misleading an employer is illegal and can put you behind the bars, even if the lie was told a decade ago. Hence lying can cost you your job as well as your freedom. Your résumé is about selling your skills and not lying about them. There’s a thin line between selling and lying, make sure you don’t cross it.

Honesty is the Best Policy

The best strategy to create an honorable résumé is to never lie. Be truthful about your educational and professional background. Figure out a way to tell the truth and make yourself look good. Make your previous experiences sound pro-active to indicate your skills and achievements. Talk what you are most proud of. Being truthful on résumé will have two benefits:

• Your résumé will sound like your accomplishments in your career without any inconsistencies
• Your interview will be great because you will be at ease  as you have nothing to hide thus your energy will be good.

An honest and well-written résumé will help you secure jobs even if you have less than perfect background. Just write a cover letter to address your worries.

At times you may feel like inflating your achievements or embellish your résumé to make it look more attractive. You can lie but do it at your own peril, because if you get caught then you are responsible for those consequences.

Moreover, no one is perfect in this imperfect world. There are very few people whose past are blemish-free or have the perfect career history. Instead of covering your blemishes, face them. Once you land in a job, you will have enough challenges and worries. So don’t increase your worries by lying, instead be honest. Don’t take short cuts to success; take the higher road.

Let me begin with a small story…

Brian and Martha were classmates in their high school.  While Brian was voted the most popular student for his friendliness and charm, Martha was not so popular but she was an intellectually brilliant student with high hopes for her future. She found it difficult to mingle with most of the students as they were not as smart as she was. Years later, Martha is a lawyer; however she still has the same problem of forming relationships. On the other hand, Brian is a happily married man and running his own business. He did not go to a college but is happy and contented in his life. Ironically, they lived in the same neighborhood where Brian is the most talked about person and President of the neighborhood whereas   Martha still chooses to live aloof. Though she is professionally sound, yet not many of her clients do like her as she cannot empathize with them.

Thus, Martha though intelligent but lack of EI is a hindrance to her being a popular lawyer where as Brian with average IQ  becomes happy and successful in life with his excellent EI skills.

But, what is EI and why is it so important for success?

Emotional Intelligence (EI), often measured as an Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), is a term that describes the ability to identify, assess and manage the emotions of one’s self and appropriately respond to others and motivate them.

Hiring the right person with right skill is of main concern for the head hunters. With the advent of technology, hiring process has become increasingly complex; companies not only focus on the hard skills (e.g., technical expertise, work experience and education) but also the assessment of personality traits. Competencies like stress management, assertiveness skills and empathy are critical success factor which should not be overlooked.

Competences

Emotional Intelligence consists of several, well-defined basic competencies that absolutely anyone can learn. Some of the competences which an emotionally intelligent individual should have are as follows:

• Self-Awareness – the ability to know one’s internal states, preferences, resources and intuitions. This includes:

• Emotional awareness: recognizing one’s emotions and their impacts
• Self-assessment: knowing own strengths and limits
• Self-confidence: believing in one’s self-worth and capabilities

• Self-Regulation – managing one’s internal states, impulses and resources. This includes:

• Self-control: keeping disruptive emotions and impulses in check
• Trustworthiness: maintaining standards of honesty and integrity
• Conscientiousness: taking responsibility for personal performance
• Adaptability: flexibility in handling change
• Innovation: being comfortable with new ideas, novel approaches and new information

• Self-Expectations and Motivation – the emotional tendencies that guide or facilitate the reaching of goals. This includes:

• Achievement drive: striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence
• Commitment: aligning with the goals of the group or organization
• Initiative: readiness to act on opportunities
• Optimism: pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks

• Empathy – awareness of others’ feelings needs and concerns. This includes:

• Understanding others: sensing the feelings and perspectives of others and taking an active interest in their concerns
• Developing others: sensing the development needs of others and bolstering their abilities
• Service orientation: anticipating, recognizing and meeting customer needs
• Leveraging diversity: cultivating opportunities through different kinds of people

• Social Skills – adeptness at inducing desirable responses in others. This includes:

• Influence: employing effective tactics for persuasion
• Communicate: listening actively and sending convincing messages
• Manage conflict: negotiating and resolving disagreements
• Leadership: inspiring and guiding individuals and groups
• Change catalyst: initiating or managing change
• Build bonds: nurturing instrumental relationships
• Collaboration and cooperation: working with others towards shared goals
• Team spirit: creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals
• Political awareness: reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships
• Emotional Sensitivity – ability and capacity to effectively understanding intensity of emotional arousal, managing the immediate environment and controlling negative emotions like anger, irritation, excessive anxiety etc.

Impact in Workplace

Ever since the researchers found out that individuals with high EQ are more productive that others, importance of EI in workplace has been acknowledged.  Since, workplace includes groups of people with varying ideas and opinions, effective EI or EQ is necessary to achieve target.  We are emotional beings and all our actions and reactions are determined by our emotions. EQ is not about being nice neither about unleashing our emotions. It is about being aware of our emotions and able to express feelings appropriately and effectively. Effective management of emotions improves the quality of our decisions thus making us more productive.

Studies show that people with high EQ are the best performers and have high levels of interpersonal skills and thus are more satisfied at work. Emotionally balanced employees are empathetic, adaptable, self-aware, self-confident, transparent, optimistic, inspirational leaders and good at managing disagreements and stress.

With strong EI one can control, direct, lead and manage his or her own moods and impulses, and communicate with others much effectively. Individual with high EI are good problem solvers and decision makers. They can skillfully prioritize their task and quickly realize their goals.

An exciting fact about EQ is that unlike our IQ which does not change after our teens, EQ can continue to grow and develop as it largely is a learned area of expertise.

Getting to the top of the corporate ladder is everyone’s dream. However don’t wait for a miracle to happen to take your career to the pinnacle. You have to work hard and think strategically to make your perception meet reality.

There isn’t any formula to get you to the top instantly. However, with the following tips you can head up the corporate ladder.

Make your work visible

You may be the best employee any employer can get but until and unless anyone acknowledges your hard work, all goes in vain. Toot your own horn about your accomplishment and dedication because if you don’t do it no one else may do it on your behalf. There is no harm in taking credit for your work. Make your employers aware of amount of time and effort you spent on an assigned task. Take ownership of a task and prove that your boss was right to trust you with the responsibility. This recognition will help you climb the ladder more quickly. Volunteer to mentor colleagues and conduct training classes for the new employees. These extra efforts will not go unnoticed by supervisors.

However, going the extra mile does not mean kowtowing. You don’t need to be a ‘yes-man’ to be on your boss’s good books. Let your work do the trick. Just concentrate on your work and make sure others are aware of what you are doing.

Meet and Greet

Make yourself visible too along with your work. The best way to do this is through active networking within your organization and community. Interact with managers and other affluent individuals of your organization. Remember, networking is the key to success. Communicate your career goals and skills to management.

Networking is an integral part of developing a successful career. Build a good network so that you are alerted of opening even before they’re announced. Participate in meet-ups, social gatherings, workshops, team events, etc and showcase your leadership and organizational skills. Remember that people do notice these attitudes which make you stand out in the crowd.

Push Yourself Up

Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. They may not be handed to you in silver platter, in such cases you have to work hard to make things happen. Remember, luck occurs when hard work meets opportunity.  Keep yourself aware of the future opportunities through your network.

We are living in a dog eat dog world where no one will help you to get the promotion they have been waiting so long. Hence, remain competitive and help yourself to go up the ladder.

Plan Your Move

It is never too late to envision your career and see if it is on the right track. Push the envelope and set clear, optimistic and attainable goals that will give an upward thrust to your career. Create a growth chart. Chalk out the steps you need to take for your next promotion. Always upgrade your skills and knowledge to stay ahead of the crowd in your field. Concentrate on the job in hand and excel in your current position. You won’t get ahead with mediocre performance, regardless of how many other steps you implement.

Take Necessary Risks

Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone and try something new. If necessary accept a position with a new company if it will take you closer to your ultimate goals. Volunteer for difficult assignments but beware of suicide missions. Learn to identify whether the project is difficult or impossible.

Keep Learning

Whether it’s a two-day seminar or a two-year MBA program, never let any opportunities to enhance your skills go in vain. Check with your human resources department to see if the company will pay your tuition. If you want to be a CEO then find out what level of education the current CEO has obtained. Even if you have an advanced degree then also you can learn new things that will broaden your areas of expertise and experience.  Keep yourself up-to-date and stand up against the ‘new kids’ in office.

If you aren’t sure about where to start, you might want to talk to a career counselor. Tell him about your current profession and where do you want to see yourself 10 years down the line. Education is the way to get noticed, get skilled, and get climbing up that corporate ladder or late in life!

Accept Change

Embrace change as part of doing business. Change is part of every organization. So, if you falter then look at the issue from another perspective and tackle the issue from another angle. To bring about a positive change means innovation. Hence take the initiative to be innovative to tackle the pain points in your organization.

Apart from the Do’s mentioned above there are certain Don’ts which you should avoid. These characteristics to avoid if you want to reach to the top:

• Rigidity
• Playing organizational politics
• Cynical/negative thinking
• Making false promises
• Entertaining hidden agendas

Don’t despair if you don’t find a career ladder per se in your organization, instead build one. In doing so, you will have the opportunity to build your own job. Certainly, there are other tips and strategies that you will pick up as you get along in your career, but those which I have mentioned here will surely help you to get started.

Good luck and Godspeed!